Every plate of uneaten food represents more than a discarded meal. For restaurants, canteens and catering companies, it can mean wasted ingredients, higher operating costs and unnecessary pressure on the environment. Italian deeptech startup Ganiga is using artificial intelligence, computer vision and robotics to tackle this problem, raising €1.5 million in fresh equity funding to expand its waste management technology and bring data driven food waste reduction to more businesses.
The funding round was led by Italian contract catering company Vivenda, with participation from London based NextSTEP and three angel investors. Combined with €1 million previously secured through Smart&Start Italia, an incentive programme managed by Invitalia, Ganiga has raised €2.5 million in total funding.
From Waste Sorting to Food Intelligence
Founded in the province of Pisa by Nicolas Zeoli, Ganiga initially concentrated on robotic systems that identify and separate different categories of waste. Its devices use artificial intelligence and computer vision to improve sorting and make waste management more efficient.
The company has sold more than 300 devices deployed across airports, shopping centres and large businesses in Italy, Japan, Australia and other European markets.
These installations have provided Ganiga with valuable operational data, helping the company expand beyond physical waste sorting into software that identifies waste patterns and supports better business decisions.
HooolyFood Turns Food Waste Into Data
Ganiga’s food waste management platform, HooolyFood, is designed for catering operators that want to understand what food is being discarded, how much is wasted and where improvements can be made.
The system uses cameras installed above waste containers to identify discarded food without requiring it to be weighed. Its AI technology analyses the waste and provides information that catering teams can use to assess menu performance, improve purchasing decisions and reduce unnecessary food preparation.
For example, if particular dishes repeatedly generate large amounts of waste, operators can investigate whether portion sizes, menu choices or preparation volumes need to change.
Developed in less than a year, HooolyFood is already being used in operations serving more than 30,000 meals daily. The platform aims to turn everyday kitchen waste into practical information that helps businesses reduce costs while improving resource efficiency.
One Dashboard for Waste Management
Ganiga is building a proprietary data platform that combines information from its connected devices in a central dashboard. Operators can analyse waste patterns, estimate associated costs and monitor how full waste containers are becoming.
The company is also extending its technology beyond food monitoring. Planned developments include automated ingredient ordering, improved menu planning and sensors that can be fitted to existing containers to monitor municipal and other waste streams.
These capabilities could help organisations manage waste more proactively instead of relying on manual checks or acting only after food and materials have already been discarded.
EU Targets Add Urgency
The company’s expansion comes as European policymakers increase pressure on businesses to reduce food waste. The European Union has introduced legally binding targets for member states to cut food waste by 2030.
According to Eurostat, the EU generated approximately 58 million tonnes of food waste in 2023, underlining the scale of the challenge.
For catering operators, reliable measurement is an important first step towards meeting reduction targets. Ganiga’s technology is designed to help businesses identify where waste occurs and track whether operational changes are making a difference.
Founder and CEO Nicolas Zeoli said the new investment would help scale technology already operating in commercial environments. He highlighted the value of identifying which dishes are wasted and why, enabling canteens to improve purchasing, menu planning and service delivery.
Funding the Next Growth Phase
Ganiga plans to use the funding to expand its technical and commercial teams, improve HooolyFood and strengthen its data platform while increasing recurring revenue.
Its initial priority is to grow within contract catering, working alongside investor Vivenda, before expanding into event catering, hotels and other foodservice businesses.
By combining AI powered monitoring with practical operational tools, Ganiga is positioning itself at the intersection of deep technology, foodservice efficiency and environmental sustainability. Its next challenge will be scaling adoption and demonstrating that better waste data can translate into lasting reductions in discarded food.